Plum Tree [left of a pair of Plum Trees] c. late 17th century

Editor: This is *Plum Tree*, one panel from a pair, by Hasegawa Tōtetsu, dating to the late 17th century. The use of gold leaf really struck me, creating this luminous background. It's delicate and stark at the same time. What symbolic meaning can we unpack here? Curator: Gold, right away, signals power, wealth, and even the divine. The plum tree itself is rich in symbolic resonance within East Asian cultures. What comes to mind when you see a plum blossom? Editor: New beginnings maybe? I think I've read something about that. And definitely resilience. Curator: Precisely. The plum blossom flowers in late winter, signaling the coming of spring. Think about what that imagery conveys culturally: hope, renewal after hardship, and the persistent spirit of life. Editor: And it's just one panel of two...so it's only half of the story, in a way. I'm also interested in the way the branches reach, they seem so deliberately placed on the gold background, as if carefully balancing different cultural references... Is it possible these placements echo broader philosophical ideas, say, Taoist concepts of balance and harmony? Curator: Absolutely. Negative space in East Asian art isn't just "empty"; it's charged. What does that contrast – the stark branch against the effulgent gold – evoke for you? Perhaps consider it as a metaphor for being present, for meditation on a single moment within all this gilded, earthly splendor. How does that cultural tension affect your viewing experience? Editor: I'd say that the tension between those things - starkness and richness - makes the overall image calming, perhaps, because those tensions are resolved in the painting itself? Curator: That’s insightful! Seeing the resolution of tension mirrored in the image gives viewers access to harmony within themselves. Thinking about art as a pathway for contemplation adds yet another dimension to appreciating the enduring power of this *Plum Tree*. Editor: Exactly! It becomes more than just a pretty picture. Thanks for your help!